Moi et Lui
by Hikaru a
Summary: Zelgadis x Amelia, oneshot. Amelia has a very simple question for Zel, that turns into something very complicated.


Moi et Lui  
By Hikaru

Ship(s): Zelgadis/Amelia

Summary: A short little ditty that takes place after the last episode of the anime's first season.

Foreword: Using the spellings from the Central Park Media version. Curse me if you want, but it's the only exposure, save for the novels, that I have had. If you don't like Zel/Amelia, then just don't read. I don't want to hear it.

"So, is it Lina-san?"

It was a simple question, asked quietly enough for only him to hear, just as she had intended. Gourry and Lina were too busy bickering with Prince Phil on whether to stop in the next town, or to keep heading towards Seyruun. Zelgadis had been lagging behind the others to keep the back flank protected. It was his way anyway, to be the loner. He didn't mind. But then she began to lag behind too, until the two of them were walking side by side, while the rest of the group was safely out of earshot. But her question was enough to make him stop and stare. She too stopped walking, looking at him with an eyebrow raised.

"What do you mean?"

"You know what I mean," she pushed, putting a hand on her hip. "I asked, if it was Lina-san?"

"If it was Lina, _what_?" He was getting rather annoyed with her.

Shaking her head, she pursed her lips. With a sigh, she whispered, "I knew it."

Yes, _very annoyed_. "If you are implying that I have... feelings for Lina Inverse, then you are more daft than I thought you to be, Princess."

She began to walk again. "Oh, so it's _Princess_ now?"

Naturally, he followed her. "Why wouldn't it be? You _are_ a Princess after all, Amelia. I don't understand why you would get upset at-"

"I'm _not_ upset," she interjected.

He turned to look at her, a doubtful expression on his face. "Okay, so I was a little," she added meekly. "But that's only because that title..." she paused, flustered with herself. Trying, and failing, to hold back a blush she shook her head and said, "I asked you first."

"I answered your question," he replied briskly, taking the lead.

Amelia quickly stomped her way forward, gaining the same ground. "No you didn't. You just insulted me."

"You _are_ daft."

"So what if I am? Just _answer the question_."

He took a deep breath in. "Very well then: yes."

Stopping in her tracks, she let out a surprised, "Ah!" and was rooted to the spot.

"Amelia?"

"Amelia! Zel!" Lina called from up ahead. "You guys are dragging! Come on, pick up the pace! Seyruun isn't going to come to us!"

But the two of them just stood there. Amelia was looking at the ground, while Zelgadis was staring intently at her. As Gourry, Lina and Prince Phil disappeared behind a small hill, Zelgadis turned back to the direction that the group was headed. "Don't misinterpret," he said, beginning to walk again.

"No, I think I understand pretty clearly," she replied, also resuming her pace. "I was just a little... thrown off." She looked to the forest beside her, playing with her hands in front of her. "See I thought-"

"What I have for Lina is pure admiration," he explained, not letting her finish. "If you want to call those _strong feelings_, then yes, I do have feelings for her. I trust her with my life."

"So you love her?" she suggested, regretting the words as they left her mouth.

He scoffed. If it were anyone else, he would have flat out laughed in their face. "Certainly not. Respect and love are two different things."

"Well, I respect and love Daddy," she reasoned.

He shook his head, his metal hair shimmering in the sun as he did so. "Not the same. He's your parent. It's only natural that you love and respect your parental figure."

And with that the two of them walked in silence, picking up the pace only long enough to be able to see Lina and company, but making no effort to catch up just yet.

"And so the answer to my question?" he asked, a smirk on his face.

"Ah-" her blush, that she still had not managed to rid herself of, deepened. "I just was going to say that the title _Princess_ is so _formal_. I thought we had gotten past that point, Zelgadis-san."

He raised an eyebrow at her. "Look who's talking."

"My preference to give you respect is _different_," she pouted. "Because I too- uh- _respect_ you. After all, you saved my life more than once on this journey."

"Although I'm beginning to regret that," he retorted.

"Hey!"

After looking at each other for a moment, the two of them laughed, ignoring the further shouts from Lina in front of them. The summer's wind blew through their hair, and the sun began to make its way to rest for the evening. And for a moment, the thick air that had only been building between them was lifted.

If only for a moment.

"So how do you feel about me?" she whispered.

"Pardon?" he asked, stopping once more.

She shook her head as she too stopped, "I, uh, asked about if you noticed something while we were fighting Rezo-san..."

"_That_ was _not_ Rezo," he interjected. "It was a copy."

Embarrassed, she laughed nervously. "Right, right. My mistake. But did you notice when you and I-"

"Yes," he quickly said, not letting her finish what she was going to say. He knew all too well what she was referring to. The both of them had cast Rah-tilt, and it had flawlessly combined into a more powerful spell- something that only happened when both magic users shared... a certain closeness. Their relations with one another, he thought, were strained at best, so he had been apprehensive about the implications ever since it happened.

"Well, what do you think about it?" she asked.

Of course she would ask that, he bitterly cursed. What one thing the Princess didn't have was tact. She was very daft and very tactless, that much was certain. "I think it happened because we were both very concerned at the time. We weren't exactly winning the battle at that point."

"Nothing more?"

"Nothing more."

"Oh."

They both began to walk again, side by side, with matching strides. After a few moments of silence, Zelgadis looked to her and said, very quietly, "Unless... you wanted there to be..."

It was her turn to stop. Wide eyed, she swallowed hard before she remembered how to speak again. "Pardon?"

"Nothing," he replied, not even looking back at her.

"No, that wasn't _Nothing_ Zelgadis-san, I heard you say-"

"Are the two of you quite done flitting about?" Lina said as she stood in front of them, arms crossed against her chest. She glared down at her two companions. "Because I don't want to interrupt your little game of footsie."

Both of their replies came out simultaneously. "Don't be ridiculous!" Zelgadis defended.

"What are you talking about Lina-san!" Amelia blanched.

Shaking her head, Lina wasn't fooled. She had seen the blushing and the panicking and was getting quite sick and tired of it. "Whatever," she said. "All I know is that the two of you are _still_ slowing us down with _whatever_ you're doing back here." Amelia's face flushed as she looked away. Zelgadis crossed his arms against his chest. "Your father wants to talk to you, Amelia."

Hesitating for a moment, Amelia looked at Zelgadis for a moment, and then back to Lina. "O-okay," she stuttered. As Amelia passed him, her hand ever so conveniently brushed against his stone fingertips. Instantly, Zelgadis felt his face flush. He stared at her as she caught up to her father's horse, lost in a daze.

That was not an accident that her hand brushed up against his, he decided. With a small smile, he shook his head. If he had the guts, he probably would have done the same. But he, for the moment, lacked the initiative. Looking back up the younger girl, he couldn't help but feel that there would be a time when it would be impossible to deny her anything. But for now, he could keep things hidden, as he always had.

Behind Zelgadis, Lina stood and watched, shaking her head at her two friends. If one of them didn't admit something soon, they were going to explode, that was for certain.

With a smirk, Lina walked up beside her chimera friend and asked, "So, is it Amelia?" 

_Fin_

Notes:  
Okay, I don't know what that was. If you could tell me, that would be great. I blame Kettering, just because. I asked her to try and stop me, and she only encouraged me. So this is the result.

Disclaimer:  
This fiction was written for entertainment purposes only. The characters of _Slayers_ belong to Kanzaka-sensei, as well as many other companies and/or people who also wouldn't approve of me destroying their characters like I have. Standard disclaimers apply. 


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